Headlight.



0. WINSTON-- HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED oEc.2. 191s.

1,246,282. Mama sept. 18,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

O. WINSTON. f

HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED nmz. 1915.

1,249,282, Patented Sept. 18, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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f ler/on Mbs an OVERTON WINSTON, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

HEADLIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Sept. 18, 1917.

Application led December 2, 1915. Seria1No. 64,662.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, OvnR'roN WiNs'roN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepln and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHeadlights; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to electric headlights for automobiles andother vehlcles, and is in the nature of the modification of, orimprovement on, the headlight disclosed and claimed in the companionapplication executed by me of even date herewith,

and entitled,Headlights, S. N. 64,661, filed of date, December 2nd,1915.

Generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices andcombinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

Particularly, the invention is directed to. improved means for shiftingthe light bulb in respect to the axis of the reflector, but involvesother minor but important features of construction.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a view chiefly in vertical section with some parts in full,showing a headlight embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view chiefly in elevation but with some parts in full,showing one yof the latch devices and certain coperating elements;

Fig. 3 is a section on the 'line as m of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken approximately on the line ant-wf*of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line -w .of Fig. 4.

The numeral 1 indicates the casing of an ordinary headlight, such asused on automobiles, and the numerals 2 and 3, respectively, indicatethe reflector and the lens .of the glass plate of the headlight. n Therellector 2,.instead of being rigid, in respect to the' casing,A isconnected thereto at the front edge of its marginal rim, bydiametrlcally opposite horizontal pivots 2a. The electric light bulb 4illustrated in the drawings is held in a socket of novel construction,the details of which are not herein fully illustrated, but, are fullydisclosed and claimed in my said companion application. For the purposesof this case, it is desirable, only, to particularly note the sleeve 5of the bulb which is telescoped into the collar 7, which, in turn, ismounted in the end of the inner memberv 9 of a pair of telescopedtubular channels, the outer member 8 of which is provided in itsrear endwith a swiveled lamp adjusting nut 13, byrotation of which latter thelamp may be adjusted longitudinally of the axis of the reflector. Thenumeral 21 indicates a s ring-pressed screw driver mounted in anextended through the back of the casing 1 and adapted to be pressedinward into engagement with radial grooves formed in the rear end of thenutv 13. The said parts 4to 21, inclusive, just above noted, bear thesame numerals in my said companion application and the details ofconstruction and operation thereof may be had by reference to the saidapplication. The front end of the outer shell 8 of the lamp socket inthis instance is, however, extended into an axial opening of thereflector and is pivotally connected to the reector, by horizontallyalined pivot screws 22 seated in a ring 23. This ring 23 is tapered andfits within a flaring annular flange 24 on the back of the reflector. Asplit clamping ring 25-held together by short nut-equipped bolts 26secures the ring 23 to the said flange 24. The intermediate portion ofthe outer shell Sis seated in an annular fulcrum 27a that has threadedengagement with a surrounding tubular bearing 27 rigidly attached to theback of ,the casing 1 and axially alined therewith. The annular fulcrum27 has a cylindrical body`28 that is telescoped over a cylindrical head29, the reduced tubular stem of which is journaled in the hub of thebearing 27 and aiiords a seat for the screw driver 21. To the outer endvof the reduced stem ofthel said head 29 is secured a knurled flange30,' bymeans of which the said member 29-may he easily rotated.

The cylindrical body 28 of the annular fulcrum 27a is provided with lugs31 'thatv engage longitudinal slots 32 formed in the saidv head 29, sothat the said members 28 and 29 are caused to partake of a commonrotation. The member 29,v however, is held against axial movement whilethe fulcrum member 27a is capable of axial traveling movement producedwhen rotated by its screw-threaded engagement with the tubular bearing27. The numeral 33 indicates a cap shown as applied to the outer end hubof the bearing 27, and which, when removed, affords access both to thehead of the screw driver and to the finger piece 30 of the rotary head29.

Obviously,by the rotation of the head 29 the annular fulcrum 27a may bemoved forwardly or rearwardly on the outer shell 3 of the lamp socket.Also, it will be understood that bj' forcing the screw driver inward andthr n rotating the same, the lamp may be adjusted longitudinally of theaxis of the reflector.

The reflector has a rigidly attached arm 34 which projects rearwardwithin the casing 1 andcis connected' by a slot and pin coupling 35, tothe intermediate portion of an endwise movable plunger or magnetic core36, preferably made of soft iron. This plunger 36 works axially througha pair of solenoids 37 controlled by suitable electric connections, notshown, attached to shelflike projections 38 of the tubular bearing 27.

To the ends of the plunger 36 are rigidly attached by brazing, orotherwise, brassl extensions that have screw-threaded engagement withthe interiors of the tubular latch heads 39 that are seated for endwisemovements in brass bearing rings 41, shown as secured to the respectivesolenoids 37. These latch heads 39 are provided With stems 42y thatyextend freely through passages in the casing 1 and are provided4outside thereof with operating knobs or heads 43 formedv withlongitudinal peripheral grooves or corrugations engaged by springfingers 44 attached to hubs 45 secured on the said casing 1. The numeral45a indicates caps detachablyapplied to the hubs 45 and normallyincluding-said parts 43 and 44.

Latch heads 39are formed with annular lock grooves 46, the walls ofwhich are at approximately a right angle to the axis of said latchheads. These grooves are arranged to 'be engaged by lock bolts 47ymounted for radial movements in the bearing rings' 41 and, as shown,yieldingly pressed inward by curved springs 48 attached to the said lockbolts at one end, and at their other ends, attached to the said rings,as best shown in Fig. 3. When one of these lock bolts is engaged withthe lock groove of the coperating latch head, it will positively lockthevsame. and the plunger 36, and, consequently, the reflector and lightbulb in predetermined positions.

For releasing the latches, I provide a magnetic trip which, as shown, isarranged as follows:

A soft iron armature in the form of a lever4 49 is pivoted to an arm 50projected from one of the bearing rings41. The free end of this armaturelever 49 is perforated, or otherwise, formed, so that it will clear theadjacentportion of the coperating latch head 40, bu'twill be subject,nevertheless, to the magnetic force of the adjacent solenoid. The lever49 is provided with a Wedge shaped lug 51, the point of which isnormally in a position to engage between the free end of the spring 48and the adjacent bearing ring 41. A light coiled spring 52 yieldinglyholds the lever 49 toward the cooperating solenoid, but not withsufficient force to overcome the coperating spring 48 and attached lockbolt 47.

Let it be assumed that normally the upper latch head 39 is so adjustedthat the reflector 2 stands with its axis coincident with that of thecasing 1 and the lamp bulb will stand with the hot portion of itsfilament at the axis of the`said reflector. As will be understood, thefilament of the bulb may be set. at thel focal center' of' the reflectorby axial adjustments of the lamp socket. These adjustments shown in Fig.1 are, therefore, those, which give the greatest light projection orlongest light beams on the road ahead of the machine, as required intraveling country roads. In such posi tion, the reflector and lamp arepositively held by the engagement of the upper lock bolt 47 with thegroove 46 of the upper latch head 39.

For city traveling, and especially Where city lqrdinances require dimmedor nonblinding lights, the reflector is oscillated vertically so thatits axis is inclined downward ahead of the machine, and the' light bulbis raised in respect to the axis of the reflector, so that the lightbeam will be projected onto the ground more closely in front of themachine. This adjustment of the said reflector and lamp will be producedwhenever the upper solenoid 37 is energized. The first effect of thisenergizing of the said upper solenoid is to draw the upper tripping leer49 downward, thereby causing its Wedgelug 51 to retract the lock bolt 47and release the plunger or magnetic core 36; and the second effect ofthe energizing said upper solenoid is to draw the plunger or magneticcore'36 upward and thereby, through the lever 34, rocking the rearportion of the reflector upward on its pivots 2a and rocking the lightbulb and front portion of the lamp socket upward on the fulcrum ring 26.In this way, the axis ofA the reflector is inclined downward and thelight bulb is raised to a greater extent than is the rear portion of thereflector, so that the filament of the bulb is then raised above theinclined axis of the reflector, so as to further increase the downwarddeflection ofthe light rays.

The extent to which the reflector will be. rocked, may be varied byadjustments of the lower latch head39, and the extent to which the lightbulb will be raised in respect to the axis of the reflector, maybevaried by adjustments of the annular fulcrum 26 longitudinally of thelamp socket. The closer the fulcrum 26 is set to the pivotal connectionbetween the lamp socket and reflector, the greater will be the elevationgiven to the light bulb, and the converse of this statement is, ofcourse, also true.

When the reflector and light bulb are raised, as just above stated, theywill be positively locked in such position by the engagement of thelowerlock bolt 47 with the groove 46 of the lower latch head 39. To bring thesaid parts back to their normal positions shown in Fig. 1, the lowersolenoid 37 is energized and the first effect thereof is, of course, tocause the wedge lock of the lower armature lever 49 torelease the lowerlock bolt 47 from `the roove 46 of the lower latch head 39, an thesecond effect is to cause the plunger or core 36 to move downward,thereby restoring the said parts to the position shown in Fig. 1.

What I claim is:

1. In a headlight, the combination with a reflector, of a lamp thereinpivotally supported for oscillations toward and from the axis of saidreflector, and a lamp fulcrum adjustable toward and from the lamp pivot.

2. In a headlight, the combination with a reflector, of a lamp supportpivotally associated with said reflector and adapted to support a lampwithin the reflector, and a fulcrum for ythe rear portion of said lampsupport, mounted for adjustments ytoward and from the pivot of said lampsupport.

3. In a headlight, the combination with a reflector, of a lamp supportpivotally connected thereto and adapted to support a lamp within saidreflector, an annular fulcrum supporting and surrounding the rearportion of said lamp support, and means for adjusting said fulcrumaxially toward and from the'pivot of said lamp support.

4. In a headlight, the combination with a reflector mounted foroscillatory movements, of a lamp support pivoted 4to said reflector andadapted to support a lamp within said reflector. l

5. In a-headlight, the combination with a reflector mounted foroscillatory movements, of a lamp support pivoted to said reflector andadapted to support a lamp within said reflector, and a fulcrum for therear portion of said lamp holder, upon which the said lamp supportoscillates .when moved with said reflector.

6. In a headlight, the combination with a reflector mounted foroscillatory movements, of a lamp support pivoted to said reflector andadapted to support a lamp within said reflector, andl an annular ulcrumfor the rear portion of said lamp support, mounted for axial adjustmentstoward and from the pivot of said `lamp support.

7 In a headlight, the combination with a reflector, of-a lamp sup orthaving a pivotal connection to said re ector and having `a relativelyfixed fulcrum and adapted to support alamp within said reflector, meansfor moving said lamp toward and from the axis of said reflector, b theoscillatory movement of the said re ector.

8. In a headlight, the combination with a casing, of a reflector pivotedthereto for vertical oscillatory movements, and a lamp support having afulcrum within said casing at the rear of said reflector, pivotallyconnect-v ed to said reflector for vertical oscillatory movementstherewith, and adapted to support a lamp within said reflector.

9. In' a headlight, the combination with a casing, of a reflectorpivoted thereto for oscillatory movements, a lamp support pivoted tosaid reflector and adapted to support a lamp within the reflector, 'afulcrum for the rear portion of said lamp su port, located within saidcasing back of saidD reflector, and means operative through the back ofsaid reflector for adjusting said fulcrum longitudinally of the axis ofsaid reflector.

10. In a headlight, the combination with a casing, of a reflectorpivoted thereto for oscillatory movements, a lamp support pivoted tosaid reflector and adapted to support a lamp'within the reflector, afulcrum for the rear portion of said lamp support,` located within saidcasing back of said reflector, and meansoperative through the back ofsaid reflecto'r for adjusting said fulcrum longitudinally of the axis ofsaid reflector. the said adjusting means comprising a rotary memberhaving a sliding engagement with the said fulcrum.

11. In a headlight, the combination with a casing and a reflectorsupported thereby. of' a lamp support within said casing, mounted foroscillatory movements and provided with an axially adjustable lampholder adapted to support a'lamp within said reflector, a fulcrum forthe rear portion of said lamp holder, and two adjusting devicesextending through the back of said reflector, the one operative toadjust lsaid fulcrum longitudinally of' the axis of said reflector, andthe other operative to adjust said lamp holder axially of said lampsupport.

'12. In a headlight, the combination with a reflector and a lampsupport, one of which members is capable of oscillatory movement inrespect to the other. of a. plunger movable to oscillate saidoscillatory member, positive locks for limiting the movements of saidplunger and holding the same in extreme positions, and automaticreleasing devices for the said locks.

In a headlight, the combination with sitions, and magnetically operatedreleasing a reflector and :L lamp support, one of which devices for saidlocks. l0 members is capable of oscillatory movement In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in respect to the other, of a plunger form0vin presence of two Witnesses.

5 ing the oscillatory member, electro-magnetic OVERTON W'INSTON.

devices for reciprocating said plunger, posi- Witnesses: tive locksfor'limiting the movements of said HARRY D. KILGORE,

plunger und holding the same in extreme po- F. D. MERCHANT.

